Coconut Oil For Acne Scars : How To Use

Acne is a common skin condition that usually starts in the teenage years. It can be caused by the blockage of pores by dead skin cells and oil, leading to the multiplication of bacteria and inflammation. In women, there’s often a hormonal cause for the acne as well. We know that acne can have an enormous negative impact on people’s self-esteem and confidence, so it’s critical to find a skin care regime that really works and gives them the confidence that comes with clear and smooth skin.

Many people see acne and acne scars as something that needs a quick solution. Though a lot of us have resorted to using commercial products, some still prefer the safe and natural ways on how to get rid of acne scars. One of the best ways to cure acne naturally is coconut oil. But before we talk about the benefits, you probably should know some information about it.

What is coconut oil?

The coconut tree has been commonly called “The Tree of Life” especially by Asians. Every part of the tree can be used for construction, medication, and food. One particular part of the coconut that has been known to be helpful in many ways is the coconut oil.

Coconut oil is extracted from mature coconut. The oil is commonly used for nourishing our hair, making it smoother and silkier. It has also been known to nourish and whiten our skin. Coconut oil has a pleasant taste too so you can use it as an ingredient in some recipes, or you can eat a spoonful of it each morning. Civilizations consuming coconut oil without the trans-fat oils are healthier and have fewer skin problems.

coconut oil and acne

One thing you might not know about coconut oil is that it is also used for the removal of acne scars naturally. Coconut oil can be used externally to combat acne and several other skin-related problems such as eczema, dry skin, sensitive skin, spotty skin and aging skin. A word of caution: you must use only virgin coconut oil to treat acne, or you may end up clogging your skin pores instead of treating it.

The idea that application of coconut oil on the skin can reduce acne sounds very absurd until its effects are noticed. Acne sufferers know that the very cause of acne is their oily skin. How the application of more oil combat acne does remain a mystery. However, what many acne victims do not know is that it takes something more than just excess oil on the skin to cause acne. There are two conditions for acne to appear on your body. These are blocked pores and inflammation. Inflammation is a reaction of the body when bacteria are trapped in the skin pores due to heat.

How does coconut oil help in reducing acne?

The answer lies in coconut oil’s ability to fight acne causing bacteria that are present on the surface of the skin. The fact that coconut oil fights inflammation makes it an excellent acne fighting element. The effects of coconut oil are understood due to the presence of Lauric Acid and Capric Acid in it. These two acids convert into antibacterial substances when they come in contact with the skin and clear the bacteria idling in clogged pores of the skin. When the bacteria on the skin are removed, there is nothing left for your immune system to react to and cause inflammation resulting in acne.

Besides being an acne fighter, coconut oil is rich in Vitamin E, which is a well-known skin nutrient. Vitamin E assists in soothing swelling and repairing damaged skin. In a nutshell, coconut oil can do all that most of the expensive creams in the market can do, such as diminishing acne scars and preventing new acne marks to form, at a much lesser cost.

What is the role of coconut oil in acne treatment?

Coconut oil for acne scars is an excellent treatment. However, one should always remember that the results may differ from one person to another, depending on their age, skin type, profession, lifestyle, etc. It cannot be your only method of treatment. Thus, you should deal with your skin problem from many angles.

Acne is an infamous skin problem. It’s not dangerous, but it can leave skin scars, which have an enormous negative impact on people’s self-esteem and confidence. Although it is most commonly affects teenagers, many people in their fifties still get it. Thus, acne can affect people of all ages and all races.

Some dermatologists advise people suffering from acne to avoid consuming greasy foods and oily products. However, some experts proposed to use coconut oil as an effective way to cure the condition’s symptoms. You might be confused, but there are many reasons why coconut oil is worth trying as an unusual treatment.

Why use coconut oil for acne scars and acne?

Coconut oil has many nutritive elements that help fight acne condition. Below are some of these:

Lauric and Capric Acids

Acne cannot develop without the microbial infections. And coconut oil for acne scars is the source of these two powerful antimicrobial elements, which can also be found in breast milk that protect newborns from infections. Applying these two elements on the skin stimulate some good microbes to convert them into monolaurin and monocaprin, which replace the defensive acid layer of the removed skin by regular washing and cleaning.

Vitamin A

Coconut oil supplies your body with Vitamin A, a retinal derivative and the most common treatment for acne. This vitamin is essential to clean the dead skin cells that cause the skin condition and also helps to exfoliate and increase cellular turnover.

Vitamin E

A lot of people who have acne have lower blood levels of vitamin E. Coconut oil is a rich source of vitamin E, which keeps your skin healthy. When you consume it, coconut oil becomes incorporated into the oily secretion known as sebum. It cures and clears the actual root cause of acne.

Vitamin K

It is an antimicrobial guard and an essential element that helps the body in many functions. Anti-Inflammatory
When coconut oil for acne scars is applied, it begins instantly to reduce the inflammation of the skin. It also helps improve the open wounds from severe cases of acne and repair the skin cells damaged by acne condition.

How to pick the best coconut oil for acne scars and acne?

In the market you will find two different kinds of Coconut oil which are:

Refined oils

*tasteless and odorless
*some of them have been treated with various chemical processes
*excellent for cooking foods
*produced from dried copra (not fresh coconut)
* cheaper

Unrefined oils

*typically considered as “Virgin” or “Extra Virgin” coconut oil
*made from fresh coconut oil “but the final quality will still vary, depending on the processing techniques”
*taste and smell of a fresh coconut
*unrefined oil is the best form if you want all the healthy benefits
*Virgin Coconut Oil is worth for its extra price

Personally the only thing that will make me choose the refined form is its lower price; otherwise, I will choose extra virgin coconut oil. After choosing the form you like, you will see other labels with words such as cold-pressed or expeller-pressed. These are the methods of extraction and can be found in both “refined and unrefined.”

Recommended coconut oil for acne scars and acne

1-Virgin Coconut oil
2-Unrefined
3-Organic
4-Cold-pressed

How to use extra virgin coconut oil for acne scars and acne?

The first thing to do before using coconut oil on your skin is to consult a dermatologist to make sure you won’t get any side effects. Make sure that the coconut oil you use is not mixed with any harsh chemical elements and it must be organic natural virgin oil.

Applying coconut oil is not as complicated as using other products. Follow the steps below:

1. Wash face with warm water and soap. Apply your preferred cleanser to clean the skin thoroughly. Never skip this procedure as it forms the basis for acne fighting.

2. Lean over a pot filled with hot water and cover your face with a towel over your head to steam your face.

3. After steaming your face, massage coconut oil on the face in circular motion. Massage for 5 minutes and then let it sit for the next 5 minutes. Repeat the procedure for 20 minutes. While rubbing the oil on your face, you may notice some gritty substance coming out. This is actually the dirt and grime coming out of your skin pores.

4. Dip a cloth in hot water and wring it out. Drape it on your face to enable coconut oil to go deeper into your skin.

5. Wipe your face after a minute or two.

Here are some easy recipes to use coconut oil acne treatment:

Coconut oil acne face wash

Coconut oil acne face mask

Note: if you want to make a body scrub using coconut oil you will need only 1/2 cup Extra Virgin coconut oil and 3/4 cup sugar (you can use Cane, Brown or White) and you can add any essential oil you have that smells good.

There may also be other methods of using coconut oil as an aid in the removal of acne scars, but it is you who can decide which works well for you. The process may be as easy as one two and three, but remember, like any other product, this will not work overnight or if you stop using it from time to time. The key for this home remedies for acne scars to work is to use it continuously until you reached the desired result, but if you choose to continue even then, there will still be no problem because coconut oil for acne scars is a natural solution making it most likely safe to use. In cases of allergy or intense skin reaction, stop using coconut oil immediately.